With rare exceptions, any vegetable we can cook will give us
grater nutrition if eaten raw. I think we would be chewing all the time
to process that much vegetable fiber. Because most vegetables are 80% or
more water, juicing will make the nutrients much more usable in your
body than eating the whole food. While Fruits act as cleansers of our
systems, Vegetables act as builders of cells and tissues. Vegetable
juices are so good for soothing the nerves and to gently carry away
toxic and accumulated waste matter. Raw Vegetable juices are good for
many common health problems. Drink vegetable juice at least half an hour
after meals. Follow the general rule to not drink vegetable juices
before meals or with fruit juices. The very soluble minerals that are
found in vegetables, like calcium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium, copper,
and potassium maintain the acid base balance of the body tissues. They
help the absorption of vitamins, proteins, fats and carbohydrates in
food. They also help the body to eliminate wastes, liquids, and salts.
Dr. Norman Walker has given us some good guidelines about the nutrients
found in different foods.
Here are some of the common vegetables and something about the good they do in the body:
Alfalfa
has traditionally been used as feed for cattle and other animals. It is
a little known fact that carrots used to be used in this way and now
they are widely used for human consumption. Alfalfa is becoming used
more and more for human consumption as well. Only the leaves should be
used for juice and salads. It is very rich in nitrogen, calcium,
potassium, phosphorus and magnesium.
ASPARAGUS is rich in silicon,
lots of potassium, sodium, manganese, iron and some phosphorus. Because
it is a strong cleanser especially for the kidneys and bladder, it
should be used in moderation. This vegetable is better for you eaten raw
or juiced because it has a tendency to irritate the kidneys when
cooked. Just one serving of asparagus supplies almost 66% of the daily
recommended intake of foliate which is very good for heart health and a
birth defect fighter. Asparagus has been used to treat problems with
swelling, such as arthritis and rheumatism, and may also be useful for
PMS-related water retention. Asparagus has inulin which helps promote
friendly bacteria in our large intestine.
BEETS contain potassium,
iron, sodium and manganese. They are much better for you if you eat the
tops and roots together and raw. The tops of beets are very rich in
manganese which helps the iron work in building the liver and the blood.
Beet juice is powerful and strong so don't start out drinking more than
a cup full a day until your body gets used to it. Raw they are
especially good for constipation, menstrual problems, and early
menopause. Beet juice is a potent inhibitor of cell mutations caused by
nitrosamines which are found in processed meats. Beets are rich in
foliates which are associated with heart health and birth defect
protection.
BROCCOLI is rich in potassium, phosphorous and sulfur.
Raw is best for Broccoli, and stems should be used as well as the tops.
They are wonderful juiced or chopped and ground for salads. Broccoli is
a very good cleanser and tends to reduce body weight.
BRUSSELS
SPROUTS are very high in sulfur and phosphorus, and rich in potassium.
Because they contain so much sulfur they should be used sparingly and
they are best for the body raw. They contain 3 times more sulfur than
cabbage.
CABBAGE, both the red and white, are valuable ingredients
in a salad but only in reasonable quantities, because the sulfur and
chlorine content is high. Red cabbage has 50% more sulfur than white.
White cabbage has about 65% more potassium, nearly ten times more iron
and about three times as much silicon as the red cabbage. If not
properly chewed, cabbage will cause gas, and if you combine cabbage with
vinegar, salt, or sugar it can irritate the digestive tract.
CARROTS
are one of our most complete foods. Finely grated pulp of raw carrots
is one of the most soothing, efficient ways to heal a diseased colon.
Raw carrots contain all the elements and all the vitamins that are
required by the human body. This is not true of cooked carrots. Carrot
juice is a good cleanser of bile and waste matter coagulated in the
liver from years of wrong eating. If the skin becomes discolored, after
drinking carrot and other juices, it is a result of coagulated bile in
the liver dissolving so fast that sluggish kidneys and bowels were not
able to take care of its elimination quickly enough, resulting in the
lymph carrying this toxic matter out the pores of the skin. If this
happened to me I would be grateful to have the cleanse going on rather
than the alternative. Drinking raw carrot juice will bring relief to
eyes and reduce fatigue resulting from working or driving in bright
lights.
CAULIFLOWER is very good to eat raw. It is high in
potassium, phosphorous and sulfur, and protein. Like other members of
the cabbage family, it has the tendency to irritate the kidneys if you
eat too much. It is nourishing and used sparingly is good for you.
CELERY,
the stalks along with the green leaves should be used because in
addition to very high sodium content they contain insulin. Celery, our
best food for organic sodium chloride, has four plus times more organic
sodium than calcium. This is why raw celery juice is a wonderful drink
for hot weather. It provides organic salt which is much better for the
body than inorganic salt. It helps with nerves, sleeplessness, and
sobering a drunk. Eating too much starch leaves deposits of inorganic
calcium in our bodies. When we eat celery the organic sodium in celery
aids in maintaining the inorganic calcium in solution until at least
some of it can be eliminated from the body before it accumulates and
causes trouble. The high magnesium and iron content of celery is good
for the blood cells.
CHIVES are fairly high in protein and
carbohydrate, rich in potassium, calcium, phosphorus and sulfur. They
stimulate the digestion, and are valuable as a blood cleanser but they
are a strong diuretic, so they should be used in moderation, especially
by those who have trouble with their kidneys.
CUCUMBERS are
recognized as a valuable health food. They are tasty and refreshing when
crisp. Cucumbers are very high in potassium, iron and magnesium. They
also contain a relatively high percentage of silicon and fluorine. They
are good for the gall bladder, liver, kidneys, hair, teeth and nails.
Cucumbers should be peeled or scored with a fork as the skin is not easy
to chew or digest.
DANDELION greens are a good source of
potassium, calcium, sodium and magnesium. Dandelions nourish the bone
structure and help the health of the teeth. It is good for the lymph and
helps release toxins through the skin pores. Dandelion is a cold loving
plant that will have a mild flavor if harvested in the cold months. It
will become bitter if grown through the hot months. It is helpful and
nutritional in many organs of the body so combine with carrot juice for a
milder flavor juice in hot months. Blossoms are high in Vitamin D and
roots are good for the kidneys.
ENDIVE is another cold loving
plant that helps the body in ways similar to the dandelion. This
vegetable aids the liver and spleen. Rich in potassium, sodium, calcium
and phosphorus, the juice of endive, particularly when added to the
juices of carrots, celery and parsley, is very nourishing to the optic
system.
FENNEL is a very alkalizing food, aiding in loosening up
mucous or phlegm conditions. It helps to stimulate the digestive
processes. It is a good diuretic. It has high sodium content and is rich
in potassium and iron. The editable part is the bulbous part of the
plant.
GARLIC is beneficial to the lymph, aiding in eliminating
noxious waste matter from the body. It will probably increase body-odor
until the toxic waste has been sufficiently eliminated. It is a good
cleanser of the mucus membrane which would include the lungs, sinuses,
nose and throat. This makes it great for heart conditions and asthma. It
stimulates the kidneys and helps with high blood pressure. It also
helps stimulate the peristaltic action in digestion. Use with parsley or
mint juice to help with the odor problem.
HORSERADISH root is one
of our most valuable concentrated natural foods. It contains one of the
most efficient solvents of mucus, or phlegm, in the system,
particularly that in the sinuses and nasal cavities, because of the
penetrating nature of ether of the mustard oils it contains. Because it
is so strong, ground horseradish root should not be taken in larger
quantities than ½ teaspoon at a time. Just a whiff of it will clear my
sinuses.
KALE is another cold loving plant and quite possibly
could be grown through the winter months if protected. It belongs to the
cabbage family and is high in sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine, and
potassium. It is valuable as a cleanser and is rich in vitamins. It
should be eaten when young and tender. Best when harvested in cold
weather.
LEEKS are suppliers of potassium, calcium, phosphorus,
chlorine and sulfur. They are high in vitamins B and C. Leeks clean the
system and the blood, aid the stimulation of the pancreas and the
secretion of digestive juices. They help the muscles work better,
particularly when they overloaded with uric acid due to the frequent or
large consumption of meat. They should be used often in large
quantities.
LETTUCE is one of our most valuable foods because of
the large organic water content, and because of the high potassium,
sodium, calcium, magnesium and iron the different varieties contain.
Lettuce is also rich in organic silicon and fluorine. The most
nutritious way to eat it is eaten raw or juiced without condiments and
seasonings. You will get an abundance of juice and it is one of the best
things you can give your nerves and muscles because of the nutrients it
contains. Of all vegetables, lettuce is #3 in nutrients behind carrots
(1) and alfalfa (2). The outer leaves that we most often discard are the
most nutritious. Don't want to eat them? Juice them. This food is very
valuable for stimulating metabolism.
SEA LETTUCE is a marine
plant, like kelp, that is high in organic iodine. It is found finely
ground and you should use no more than one-fourth teaspoonful daily. Try
mixing it with a pint of raw vegetable juice. Making a drink of carrot,
celery, parsley and spinach, and one-fourth teaspoon of powdered Sea
Lettuce is a good aid for diseases of the thyroid gland.
MUSTARD
GREENS are a good cleansing food, particularly if the leaves are young.
Eaten raw they are valuable for the nutrients they contain.
NETTLES,
though not popular because of the stinging nature, are good for their
nutrition. They have high vitamins, potassium, calcium and sodium.
OKRA
soothes inflammation of the intestines. Add them to your juice drink to
soothe irritations of the colon, bladder and kidneys. Okra is high in
calcium and has 20% sodium content.
ONIONS are beneficial to the mucous membrane. They are rich in carbohydrates, potassium, calcium, silicon, phosphorus and iron.
PARSLEY
is one of the most potent foods of the common vegetable kingdom. It is
rich in potassium, calcium, magnesium and chlorine. Parsley is so
fibrous it is difficult to extract all the nutrients from the fibers.
The juice is good for the optic system, kidneys, bladder, urethra and
genital organs. It should be consumed with meat to help rid the body of
the uric acid produced in the digestion of the meat. It is also helpful
for swollen glands, swollen breasts and to dry up milk.
PARSNIPS
contain potassium, silicon, phosphorus, sulfur and chlorine. Parsnips
actively help the urinary system, bladder, and provide relief for kidney
stones. The tops are rich in mineral elements, but can be mistaken for
the wild variety which contains poisons very detrimental to the body.
The whole cultivated parsnips plant can be used for eating. Raw is very
good for you. Try juicing, chopping or grinding parsnips.
PEAS
eaten fresh are very good for you. They are high in potassium and
magnesium. Young fresh peas with the pods are good juiced or in salads
but be sure to remove the stem and string them. Fresh peas juiced with
their pods will be good for the pancreases.
PEPPERS, the sweet
ones, whether green, red, yellow, or another color are high in silicon
and fluorine which help the skin, nails and hair. The juice can be added
to carrot juice to make a nourishing drink. Hot peppers are different
and care must be taken when using and handling them as they can irritate
body membranes. Cayenne peppers, fresh or ground are so good for many
things. They can do everything from killing cancer cells in the
prostate, lungs, and pancreas to immediately stopping a heart attack
within 30 seconds and much more. Cayenne is best used in small doses.
POTATOES
are very rich in potassium, and vitamins A, B and C. Not very many
vegetables have as much vitamin C as raw potatoes. I don't much like
potato juice but it is purported to be the best thing for pneumonia.
Although we all like our potatoes cooked, they aren't nearly as good for
us because cooking creates an acid product for the body. It is not good
to combine them cooked with meat proteins. Fried is really bad for the
liver and gall bladder. Sweet potatoes contain 20% more carbohydrates
than the Irish variety, lower potassium and higher sodium, calcium,
silicon and chlorine. They also are much better for you eaten raw.
PUMPKINS
are rich in sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron, chlorine and
phosphorus. They are laxative in action and diuretic while they do not
irritate the kidneys. Raw pumpkin is delicious, as is juiced pumpkin. It
is low in carbohydrates. SQUASH and pumpkin are members of the melon
family. They are similar in nutrients and uses in the body.
RADISHES
may be discussed as 1. large, or 2. small. The large ones have half the
mineral content that the smaller ones do. The small ones are high in
potassium, sodium, calcium, chlorine, phosphorus and sulfur. The large
radishes are high in silicon. Radishes contain volatile ether that acts
as a solvent for mucus or phlegm. They also have enzymes that help the
secretion of digestive juices. Because they are a diuretic they are
valuable in cleaning the kidneys and bladder. The juices of radishes and
carrot are an aid to clean and heal the digestive system and the
respiratory organs.
RUTABAGAS are high in potassium, Vitamins B, C, and some A. They are like Turnips.
SPINACH
is a valuable leafy vegetable. It has high organic iron, sodium,
potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Fresh raw spinach juice will aid in
digestion and elimination in the body. Spinach juice nourishes cells,
tissues, and nerves that help with normal elimination. If you combine
Carrot and Spinach juice it will reestablish the muscle tone of the
intestines. The organic oxalic acid in raw spinach is helpful to
stimulate the peristaltic action of the intestines. When spinach is
cooked it changes the oxalic acid to inorganic which can form into
crystals in the kidneys
TURNIPS come in white and yellow
varieties. The yellow turnip has a much stronger flavor than the white.
They are high in potassium. The leaves are high in calcium, iron,
magnesium and potassium. It is nutritious to juice the tops and the
roots. They help the bones and cartilage. Combine the juice of turnip
leaves with carrot and dandelion for a great food aid for teeth, bones
and cartilage in all ages.
WATERCRESS is high in sulfur,
potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, phosphorus and chlorine. It is a
powerful cleanser. Raw watercress juice freshly made is too potent to
drink alone. Combine with carrot, spinach and turnip leaves juice for a
blood cleanser. It has been used to dissolve the coagulated fibrin in
the blood vessels which cause hemorrhoids and other tumors.
Vegetables
are as good as medicine, maybe even better. There are many laxatives,
sedatives and sleep inducers among the vegetables. Vegetables like
onion, radish and celery are a tonic for the nerves. Most vegetables
will make good juices, but some are better than others. We can divide
vegetable juices into three types. These are (1) Juices from vegetable
fruits, (2) Juices from green leafy vegetables, and (3) Juices from
root. Here is a general rule for combining different vegetable juicer.
You can combine vegetables from category 1 and 2 or from 2 and 3, but
not 1 and 3. Vegetable juice from fresh raw vegetables is good for all
cells and tissues of the body to give you enzymes and elements that are
needed. When you drink fresh vegetable juices you will give your body
the nutrients in the most easily digested and assimilated form. For
making up a vitamin and mineral deficiency you cannot beat this method
of getting what you need.